Conventionally the tail light assembly generally comprises of stop light, reverse light, fog light, and turn indicator and all these components are mounted in a cavity on the chassis or vehicle body, independent of backlight or rear windshield. The registration plate illumination is mounted on a trunk or rear bumper just above the registration plate. Assembling of these parts conventionally on the vehicle involves excessive weight, increased cost of packaging, manufacturing complexities, and vulnerability of illumination to likely damages.
With the development in automobile technology and the desire of higher safety standards rear wiper, rear demister (de-fogger or de-froster) and centre high mount stop lamp (CHMSL) became standard accessory in a vehicle. Mounting of these accessories, on a vehicle added to the exiting problem of manufacturing complexities.
In recent years, use of polycarbonate (PC) and polymethylmethyacrylate (PMMA), as manufacturing material for automotive glazing components has increased and so is the use of light emitting diode (LED) for all illumination needs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,829 issued to Hans Cordes et al. teaches a method for glazing and for providing a fixture for mounting rear accessories like demister or rear wiper. However, it fails to disclose integration of all units into a single piece backlight. Hans Cordes et al., teaches a method of glazing of windshield or tail light assembly and mounting on a vehicle. The disclosure does not particularly disclose use of light emitting diode (LED) for tail light assembly.
The U.S. Pat. No. 7,129,444 issued to Weiss Keith D teaches high performance defrosters for transparent panels which employs an apparatus for mounting a conductive heating grid on a windshield. It teaches a method of integration of heating grid with a windshield. The patent further teaches a use of polycarbonate (PC) and polymethylmethyacrylate (PMMA), as manufacturing material for automotive components like windshield and using the conductive heating grid as a means for de-frosting.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,486 issued to Bloemen et al., teaches a use of light emitting diode (LED) as an illumination source for rear light or tail lamp assembly. It teaches a method to enable the LED to act as a source of illumination for stop light, turn indicator, or tail light.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,862,220 issued to Cannon, et al., teaches an integration of light emitting diode with vehicular trims. Its further teaches a method and apparatus for mounting a LED into the vehicle trim.
The illumination arrangements disclosed hitherto are not integrated and vulnerable to damages as they mostly project outwardly from the external surfaces of the vehicle and rear windshield. Hence necessitating an integral backlight with an inherent protection against damages and ease of access for repair.